Having seen the Maldon Boating Lake for myself today I do have some
concerns. Apart from the absence of work on the path and slope
(which I understand will take place) the pond itself looks to have a
major fault. The wooden platform will remain, where we stand to sail
has been lengthendand looks to be a healthy 40ft long and the
overall depth will be 900cms - no problem there. At the Yaht Club
end a retaining wall is to be constructed which looks as if this
will be up against the pond edge of very close to the pond edge so
it does not look as if there will be a pathway around the pond. At
all other edges it also looks as if there will be no path. No
problem as we haven't had one in the past and we have managed. The
biggest fault I can see has been caused by rules and regs, and this
is the sloping sides to the pond. A sloping side such as I saw there
today will cause BIG BIG problems. Count how many times dogs jump in
while we are there..... Anything with a keel will be lucky to get
alongside anywhere other than the 40 ft stretch and the wooden
platform. With the prevailing wind being mainly from the Hythe to
the yacht club direction boats either poorly handled, caught
unawares, out of control either by loss of battery or just not
switched on! will find themselves caught on the sloping side at the
yacht club end and no path to walk on to retreive it. Perhaps I will
be proved wrong and hopefully I will be, but the fact remains that
this pond has sides not conducive to model sailing boats that have
keels. Hopefully later tonight I will get around to posting some
photos.